Sponsored by: The Physically Challenged Bowhunters of America, & Barnett Crossbows
By: Doug Bermel
This was the first year for the Bowhunting Super Show brought to you by Stan Chiras. The Show was held March 8-10, 2013 at the I-X center in Cleveland, Ohio. Centrally located to over two million bow hunters, the show attracted bow hunters from all over the country.
This year’s show was a huge success and will only get bigger in the future. Next year’s show will be held March 21-23 at the Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. So if you would like to see what’s new or try some of the new products and test the bows or crossbows, this is the show for you.
Two products I was impressed by were the Vertical Crossbow and the Tree Rider.
The Vertical Crossbow
One of the unique items I found at the show was the Vertical Crossbow Manufactured by Hickory Creek Archery. The Vertical Crossbow is a compact, 18½” axle to axle and weighs under six pounds. It has a 20” power stroke and is a one size fits all with its front grip being adjustable for length.
It shoots a 26” or 27” 400 grain arrow at a blistering 360 feet per second. The bow has an individually movable 3 pin sighting system and has a slot to except a 3D target type Magnified Scope Lens.
Because the crossbow is shot vertically you can achieve awesome stability and accuracy at longer range, free handed style shooting. The Vertical Crossbow is the most maneuverable bow/crossbow on the market. The weight and size and it’s vertical orientation,will also be a bonus when cruising through heavy vegetation and thick underbrush.
This bow is perfect for “On the move hunting“ for elk and turkeys where easy and quiet setup is a must for a successful hunt. Treestand hunters will like the way this tiny piece of equipment handles in the stand and the ease of shooting at different angles without the worry of a cam hitting a tree in extreme left or right shots.
The Shoulder Stock and Bullpup Trigger systems gives a tactical weapon feel and balance out of hand at full draw. The trigger, positioned 13″ in front of the shoulder stock has an actuator rod that runs through the center of the square tubing back to the string latch taking advantage of increased power stroke for speed and power, making this pound for pound the most efficient crossbow on the market. Because accuracy starts with a good trigger, Hickory Creek has dedicated a lot of time to this 3lb no creep trigger design that is second to none and will compare to the best custom rifle trigger. So if you are not ready for a conventional crossbow try out the new Vertical crossbow. You will be happy you did.
The Tree Rider
The Tree Rider is a self-climbing tree stand that operates with a powerful 3,500 lb, 12 volt winch motor. The frame is made of a fully welded, powder coated, steel construction that weighs about 75 lbs. It has a wide seating and platform area and can handle up to a 300 lb load. The one piece compact design unfolds for a fast easy set-up.
This unit is very portable with easy roll wheels and easily straps to an ATV for transport. Simply roll the Tree Rider to the tree and fasten the pins. It only takes about three to five minutes to set up and can handle any diameter tree 13 to 23 inches. The tree does not have to be perfectly straight and it will also climb a wet tree.
A winch motor raises the Tree Rider up the tree with cabled wheels using a remote control system. The unit come with a 12 volt battery system that has a long life so you are able to get ten up and down 20 ft climbs on a fully charged battery. Also available is an optional solar charger to help extend battery life. Tree Rider has a battery indicator gauge and comes with a ten foot remote control cord.
You can also plug it into an ATV or vehicle to help charge the battery and there is a plug so you can run accessories like heated clothes, iPods, cameras, radios, or a cell phone. One of the unique features is you can use the Tree Rider to hoist your game up for field dressing or loading. With special hooks you can attach all your gear, guns, bows, day packs, so they can go up the tree with you. No more pull rope.
For added security if you are ever up a tree and the battery dies, the Tree Rider has a dynamic braking system built into the winch motor which will slowly lower you to the ground.
The Tree Rider offers the disabled hunter another good option to get off the ground and back in a tree. For more information contact Anthony Moran tm@thetreerider.com or call 412-400-4928 or you can check out the website www.thetreerider.com
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